Surprisingly, the fridge was still well stocked. Of course, that could have meant that Tony was simply taking all his sustenance via liquid forms which wasn't a comforting thought. Cooking gave Steve something to do while he waited for Tony to come back, though the tension still rode high in the soldier's shoulders.

This meeting was a long time coming and it could go a lot of bad ways, only a few options was there something repairable. It took years for them to build the friendship they'd destroyed in a matter of days. It had taken extreme manipulation, but it still broke.

"Alright."

Tony's brisk voice pulled Steve's attention from the pan he was working over to see the genius stride in stiffly, changed into a blue dress shirt and black slacks, hair raked back into order which only made the cuts and bruises on his face stand out in sharper relief.

"Now that you're here, Rogers, let's get this over with, shall we?" Tony's voice was business with an edge of rising anger. Going to the bubbling coffee pot the genius pulled out a mug and poured with the stiff motions of a man in need of his fix. "Maybe then the kids will stop acting like mommy and daddy's divorce was because of them."

He had yet to look at Steve.

"So where should we start? The Accords? Sergeant Barnes? The fact that you kept your war buddy killing my parents a secret? Got a lot of options to pick from." Tony muttered bitterly , taking a swallow of his coffee and freezing. "Or the fact that you just made me drink decaf like some twisted sadist?" Tony asked in disbelief, looking at Steve for the first time with a far less hateful look of accusation.

Steve learned a long time ago how to throw Tony out of a mood by messing the genius' caffeine. It wasn't a permanent thing but it gave the soldier a moment to take a breath and meet those sharp brown eyes head on.

"I didn't think more caffeine was going to help anyone after seeing how jumpy you were," Steve said seriously.

Tony's brows raised at that. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was I supposed to roll out a welcoming party for a former friend and fugitive? How dare I be on guard since besides helping to kick Thanos' ass, the last time I saw you we were both seconds away from taking each others heads off." The theatrical sarcasm dripped with an aftertaste of venom. Tony punctuated his words by pouring his mug out in the sink and setting it down on the counter harshly before flinging the cupboard door open to grab actual coffee.

Steve spent a few minutes focusing solely on the pan in front of him, making sure the bacon and eggs didn't burn due to inattention and gave him an excuse not to really look at Tony.

After he got the coffee going, Tony shook his head. "With all that in mind, Rogers, I'm gonna ask again, why are you here?"

Steve portioned the food off onto two plates already harboring toast and melted butter. Setting the pan aside and turning off the oven, Steve turned to find Tony looking at him expectantly, something unreadable in his expression.

"When people were disappearing, when Thanos used the gauntlet…" Steve took the moment to meet Tony's gaze. "I thought you were gone too. I thought everyone that disappeared was dead and I would never get to make amends with you, that Siberia would be the last time we saw or spoke to each other. So when Peter and Rhodey told me you'd been MIA for weeks, I felt we'd waited long enough."

Tony blinked at him, looking for all the world like he was trying to keep his face in check. "And.." the genius cleared his throat. "What if I don't feel like it has been?"

Steve crossed his arms over his chest. "Then after you eat and I have proof of life for everyone...I'll leave till you're ready to talk."

He was losing ground the further this got, the more it seemed like Tony wanted nothing to do with fixing things. But part of it had to be an act. Tony wouldn't even be in the same room with him now if there wasn't some hope on his part as well that they could work this out, right?

The silence filled the kitchen, a new, uncomfortable habit. Steve could see Tony's eyes unfocus as the other man thought it over, weighed the pros and cons to either choice no doubt. Then the coffee maker beeped and Tony inhaled sharply, pulled from the moment and gratefully turned to the machine to make himself a fresh cup of caffeine.

"We'll talk," Tony finally said, sounding exhausted again. Steve hated that sound, but the words gave him hope.

A ghost of a smile played at Steve's mouth. "Thank you, Tony," Steve breathed, honest gratitude in his voice.

Tony looked up at Steve in that moment and knew one thing, he was absolutely fucked.

Author's Note: Next chapter is a POV change!